A second Hank and Kronner Love Story
by 2008wingedWheel
Summary: a sequal to the first story, "A Hank and Kronner Love Story". MAKE SURE TO READ THAT ONE FIRST!
1. SUCH FLIRTS

Henrik couldn't wait to get off the ice after their win. In the first period, his teammate, friend and lover, Niklas Kronwall, had sustained an awful knee injury. He'd been kneed when he was coming up the ice. Henrik's heart rate had slowed painfully down at the pain in his friend's face. He was off the ice and about twenty minutes later went into the "injury room". Sure enough, Niklas was on one of the tables with his knee bandaged. "Hey, big guy", Henrik said, using the nickname only he was allowed to use. Niklas looked up and grinned. "Hi, superswede", he said. Henrik rolled his eyes at the nickname his friend had given him a few weeks ago. "That's your nickname for me, isn't it", he asked, messing up Niklas's hair. Niklas nodded. "No one else can use it". "Not even Pavel", Henrik asked with a teasing smirk on his face. Niklas glared at his teammate. "Smart mouth", he said. Henrik laughed and kissed Niklas's cheek. "I thought I was supposed to tell you that. I'm older than you". Niklas made a face. "Only by a few months". "I'm still older…and more mature than you", Henrik replied. Niklas swatted at his teammate and Henrik easily knocked his hand away. "Nice way to treat someone who scored a goal for you", he scolded. Niklas's eyes widened. "That goal was for _me_", he asked in surprise. Henrik pulled the puck from his pocket and dropped it into his friend's hands. "Who else would I have scored it for?" Niklas bit his lip. "You didn't-"I wanted to", Henrik interrupted, kissing his teammate's lips. "Guess I can't argue, right", Niklas asked when the kiss was over. "Not unless you want to get your butt kicked". Niklas winced as he readjusted his position. "How long", Henrik asked. "A few months at the most".

Henrik sat next to his friend and took his hand in his, rubbing it gently. "That stinks. We need you out there. Who else is gonna kept the bad guys away from me", he asked. Niklas laughed, his eyes lighting up. "There's other players that can do that, Hank. I'm not the only one", he said. Henrik smiled and kissed his teammate again. "I know, bud. I was teasing you. I'll still miss you out there Kronwalling guys", he said. Niklas pulled his teammate close, his hand resting on Henrik's cheek. "And I'll miss being out there to celebrate your goals". Henrik's lips curved into a smile.

Niklas was special, that was for sure. Up until a few weeks ago, Henrik was an older brother to Niklas. But now, he was a lover. Henrik looked at his friend, eyes wandering over his face. How had he not noticed the dimples in Niklas's cheeks when he smiled? How had he not noticed the way his dark blue eyes light up when he laughed or grew darker with excitement when he was on the ice? How had he not noticed the cute way he rubbed his neck when he got nervous or the way he turned his head when he blushed? What a fool he was! Niklas was handsome, beautiful, cute and adorable all at once. "Hank, are you okay?" He pulled out of his thoughts and looked at his teammate. "I'm fine, Kronner". Niklas raised an eyebrow. "You were thinking about something", he scolded. Henrik rolled his eyes and kissed his teammate's cheek. "You", he replied. "What about me", Niklas asked, now curious. "Just how foolish I was not to notice you before this. The way those blue eyes seem to light up when you laugh or smile and the way they grow darker with excitement when you're on the ice. The way that you rub your neck when you get nervous or how you turn your head when you blush. Those dimples you have in your cheeks when you smile. The way you talk super-fast when you're excited. Just everything about you makes me love you. To put it simply: you're perfect", he answered, kissing his teammate. Niklas blushed at every word that was said and leaned into the kiss he received. "You're deep, Hank", he said. Henrik traced the outline of his teammate's face, his lips curving into a smile. "I know, big guy. I'm pretty deep when I need to be". Niklas laughed and then silence fell between them, giving Niklas a chance to look over his teammate. Henrik's eyes were dark brown, but Niklas noticed they grew darker when either they were together or, just like his, when they were on the ice. He loved the face Henrik made when he was in deep thought or the smile he used when he joked around. He loved the way Henrik was so concentrated and serious on the ice but when they scored or were sitting on the bench, he loosened up. He loved the smack on the butt he would get from Henrik when he made a good play or the smirk Henrik would give him when he Kronwalled someone. "Spill, Kronner. You're thinking about me", Hank interrupted his thoughts. "How did you know", Niklas asked, surprised. Hank laughed and brushed his thumb across the back of his friend's hand. "Because I know you", he replied, making Niklas blush. "Well… how your eyes darken when you're on the ice or when we're together. The face you make when you're in deep thought or that smile you use to tease people. The way you're serious on the ice but when someone scores or we're on the bench, how you loosen up and joke with people. I love the smack on the butt you give me when I make a good play or the smirk you give me when I Kronwall someone. I just love everything about you", he said. Hank's cheeks turned red, but then he grinned and pressed his lips to his teammate's. "Are you saying you love me, Niklas Kronwall", he asked, the teasing smile on his face. Niklas gave him a shove. "You know I love you, Zetta", he said, pouting. Hank laughed again. "I know, Kronner. And I love you", he said, brushing his hand across his lover's cheek. Niklas closed his eyes, relaxing against Hank's touch. A minute later, he felt an arm wrap around his waist. "Come on, big guy. Let's go get something to eat. I'm hungry". Niklas grinned and put his arm around Hank's shoulder. "You're always hungry, Hank". Hank glared at his teammate. "I'm not the only one", he said. Niklas blushed. "Point taken", he said.


	2. OUT AT DINNER

About twenty minutes later, Niklas was leaning his head against the headrest of the passenger seat. "Where are we going?" Hank raised an eyebrow at him. "Where do you think, dummy", he asked. "B-dub's", Niklas asked, using the nickname for Buffalo Wild Wings. "Yep. That's your favorite place to go, so I'm taking you there". Niklas smiled and ruffled the back of Hank's hair. "Should I feel special", he asked. Hank laughed. "I'm dating you, aren't I", he asked. Niklas ran his thumb across Hank's cheekbone, feeling the rough beard underneath. "I love you, Hank. I wouldn't want to date anyone else", he said. Hank took his eyes off the road for a minute to see Niklas's dark blue eyes shining. "Thanks, Kronner. That means a lot to me after… everything that happened", he said, biting his lip hard as the tears formed in his eyes. Niklas looked with concern at his lover before he realized what his friend was talking about. They pulled into a parking space and Hank turned off the car. He went to open the door but instead a strong hand gripped his wrist. He turned to see Niklas looking at him, nothing but pure love in his eyes. "Hank, I can't even begin to tell you how much you mean to me. Since we started dating, I've been less serious, less hard on myself. I mean, I can still remember my rookie year when you took me under your wing. At the time, I just assumed you were just going to be another big brother figure. I know better now. But back when you would come in with bruises and you'd be limping, I was so worried about you. And when you would snap at people, me included, I thought you were mad at me. I thought I had done something wrong. In fact, it got so bad that one time when Jonte was at my house, he had to stop me from punching the window. This happened when I'd first discovered my true feelings for you. My love for you, plus my concern and the fact that we had a season going on, made me just so frustrated. And when you told me what Perry had been doing to you, I was about to kill him right then and there. My love for you is real, Hank. I love you more than anything, well, except my family. I'd do anything for you, Hank", he said, taking his friend's hand and kissing it before holding it between his, rubbing his thumb across the back of it. Hank had been listening silently the whole time and when his friend finished, he felt his eyes fill with tears. "I can't believe I made you feel that way! Damn, what an idiot I was. And you almost hurting yourself! If I had known that, I wouldn't- "Hank, stop", Niklas interrupted. He carefully readjusted his position and cupped Hank's cheek, turning his face towards him. "Hank, I didn't say that to make you feel bad. I told you that to make sure you knew how much I love you. I loved you so much even then that when you snapped at me, I thought I deserved it. I thought I was doing something to make you unhappy and deserved to be yelled at". Hank couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew Niklas blamed himself for things that weren't his fault, but this? That had to be the worst thing he'd ever said. Hank pushed Niklas's hand off his cheek and grabbed his face with both his hands. "Are you hearing yourself right now? You thought you deserved to be yelled at because of something **_THAT WASN'T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING YOUR FAULT?! _** Niklas, you're such an idiot! I would never ever yell at you for something that I knew for a fact you didn't do. I know you do this to yourself, but no. It breaks my heart when you do this. Don't **_EVER EVER EVER DO THIS AGAIN! _**I love you", he said. He pressed his lips hard on his friend's. "Now promise me you won't do this again." Niklas chewed on his lip before finally looking into Hank's brown eyes. "I promise, Hank", he said. His older teammate smiled. "Good. Now let's go eat".

He got out and went to Niklas's door, opening it as his younger teammate got his crutches. "Sucks for you that you've got to use crutches, but great for me 'cause you can't chase me anymore", Hank said, giving Niklas a cheeky grin. Niklas rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but this just means you've got to pamper me even more", he replied with an equally cheeky grin. Hank laughed and smacked Niklas's ass hard. "I get to do that to you more often", he said. Niklas shook his head. "Did I ever tell you how much I love you", he asked. Hank smirked. "About twenty times. But this will make it twenty-one". "Smart ass", Niklas said. Hank laughed and raced ahead to open the door for his friend. Niklas gave Hank's leg a tap with his crutches. "You're a good friend, Hank", he said, winking at him. "Tell me something I don't know, Kronner." Niklas shrugged and shook his head. "I don't think there's anything you don't know, Superswede. But damn do I love you". Hank laughed and started to step into the restaurant. "Henrik". Hank turned, raising an eyebrow at his lover. "I'm not letting you go inside without getting a kiss from you", Niklas said. Hank bit his lip. "Someone's gonna see us, Kronner". Niklas smiled. "So what? Who cares what people think? I love you, Hank, and that's the most important thing". Hank finally smiled and came to Niklas's side, grabbing his shirt as he pressed his lips hard on his teammate's. "I love you. Now let's go eat".

They made their way inside, with Hank giving Niklas a hard time about his crutches. "If you say one more word about my crutches I'm going to throw them at you", Niklas said after they ordered their drinks, glaring at his teammate. Hank laughed. "You love me too much to do that". He took his drink from the waitress's hand as she handed Niklas his and they ordered their food. After she left, Hank repeated his statement. Niklas gave his teammate a soft smile as his blue eyes sparkled with love. "You're right. But I'd do it if you made me mad enough". Hank smirked and gave Niklas's hand a squeeze under the table. "But you'd never get mad at me. I've got too much charm for that to happen". Niklas rolled his eyes. "Stop bragging, Hank". "I don't want to", Hank said with a pout. Niklas laughed; that clear loud laugh that Hank loved. "Don't pout, Hank. It doesn't look good on you", he said, rubbing his thumb across the back of Hank's hand. Hank felt a tingling in his arm and his knees weakened when he saw Niklas's smile. He probably looked like a love-struck puppy, but he didn't care. All he cared about at the moment was that his lover was by his side, holding his hand underneath the table. "Hank, you're spacing out". Niklas's voice brought him back to reality. "What?" Niklas grinned. "You were spacing out. What are you thinking about?" Hank shook his head. "You. What else would I be thinking about", he asked. Niklas smirked and continued to caress Hank's hand. "Don't look now, but there's a girl over there checking you out", he said. Hank glanced in the direction Niklas had indicated and saw a blond-haired girl staring at him. He shrugged and turned back to his friend. "She can check me out all she wants. I've got you and that's all that matters", he whispered, giving Niklas's hand a tight squeeze and brushing his thumb over his fingers. Niklas blushed and felt a tingle run up his arm. How did Hank manage to make him feel this way? "I love you", he whispered. Hank smiled. "I love you too, bud".


End file.
